Electric speed-regulator



(No Model.)

J. W. GIBBONEY. ELEGTEIG SPEED REGULATOR.

No. 474,447. Patented May 10, 1892.

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JOHN lV. GIBBONEY, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRIC SPEED-REGULATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters :Patent N O. 474,447, dated May 10, 1892.

Application filed September Z6, 1891. Serial No. 406,890. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN W". GIBBONEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Lynn, in the county of Essex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric Spoed- Regulators, which I have set forth in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

The object of my invention is to provide a regulation for the speed of machinery and mechanical apparatus of vario us kinds, whereby their motion may be maintained uniform and constant, notwithstanding there may be variations in the power propelling them, and notwithstanding the power consumed by such machinery and apparatus also varies during the operation.

By my invention I secure a regulator which is capable of extreme delicacy of adjustment, which is very simple and cheap to construct, which is not liable to get out of order, which may be made noiseless in operation, and in which the wear of the parts is reduced to a minimum.

Brieiiy, my invention consists in a special mode of operating a regulator comprising an electric generator which is driven by the mechanism to which it is applied or responsive to speed changes in the same, and the principle of my invention is that the action of the regulator (which may consist of` the electric generator alone in certain cases or an electric generator used in conjunction with auxiliary appliances whose operation it controls) is dependent directly upon thc speed at which the revolving portion of the generator runs, and therefore upon the torque exerted between the stationary and revolving portions of the generator.

In one form of my invention the excess of power over what is required to drive the machinery or mechanism at the predetermined or desired speed is absorbed by the regulator, which upon any increase in speed occurring is so disposed that an enhanced retarding effect is automatically brought about by the interaction of the revolving and stationary parts of the electric generator, and upon any decrease in the speed occurring', such as would be caused by a decrease in the power supplied or a greater consumption of power in the mechanism itself, an automatic decrease in the amount of the power absorbed by the regulator is correspondingly produced.

In another form of my invention the difterences of torque or interaction between the revolving and stationary parts of the electric generator are caused to act on the power source, so as to regulate and vary it in accord ance with the dem ands of the mechanism, thus avoiding waste.

My invention will be understood by referring to the drawings accompanying this specification, in which- Figure l shows a simple form of the same. Fig.2 is a modification. Fig. 3 shows a modification in which the electric generator is combined with a mechanical brake, the action of which latter it governs in a manner to effect the required regulation. Figs. t and 5 show some of the preferred forms of my invention in which the excess of power is absorbed in the regulator and in which a regulation is obtained within wide limits without employing any mechanical friction. Figs. 6, 7, 8, and 9 show further modifications of an apparatus somewhat similar to that shown in Fig. l. Fig. l0 is illustrative of the second form of my invention-that is, in which the power source is controlled by the electric generator.

In Fig. l the wheels W IV are supposed to be a part of or geared to any mechanism whose speed is to be regulated. C is a disk of highly-conducting metal-such as copperhaving a relatively-high speed of rotation in most instances as compared with the wheels W XV or the governed mechanism. M is a magnet pivoted at P, as shown, its poles partly embracing the disk C and the further end being provided with a spring S and a nut N as an adjustment for allowing different speeds to be attained by the disk O. Supposing the disk C to be in a state of rest, the magnet M- would be in the position shown. Vhen the disk C started to rotate, however, the magnet M, which is hung or supported so that its poles will swing to embrace more or less of the disk C, will be carried downward against the action of the spring S and into the position shown by the dotted lines, and it is evident 4that there will be many more lines of force cnt by the revolving disk or the conductor will movein a stronger magnetic field,

and that the retarding effect will be largely increased. Should the disk as it is driven by mechanism W W decrease in speed, the magnet M will instantly respond to the decreased torque and recede toward its original position, as shown in full lines. The power required to carry the magnet M down into a more effective position for retardation can be regulated by the spring S and the nut N, as will be evident, or a weight might be supported on the magnet itself and the shifting of its position to and from the pivot P accomplish the same result.

The modification in Fig. 2 is a more sensitive arrangement and is capable therefore of effecting a more accurate regulation. In this instance I employ two magnets Mand M, the magnet M being disposed to be under the control of the magnet M', which is relatively much smaller, and therefore will respond very quickly to changes in the speed of the disk C. Thus should the disk C increase in speed the smaller magnet M moves toward the position shown in dotted lines, and thereby places the magnet M in a more effective position for producing retardation, the two magnets M and M being suitably supported by pivots or any equivalent manner to this end and connected together by a rod R. may in this case be so supported that it will be rather indifferent to changes in speed in the disk C.

In Fig. 3 I have substituted forthe magnet lll a brake-shoe B, supported on a lever L, pivoted at P, and connected by a rod R to the magnet M of the regulator, which magnet is carried by a lever L', pivoted at P, and has an adjusting-spring S and nut N, as before. Any increase in speed in the disk Cwill move the magnet M in the direction of revolution, as indicated by the arrow, and through the system of levers L and L an exceedingly slight movement of the magnet M will cause pressure to be exerted upon the disk C by the shoe B, and this pressure, it will be seen, can be magnified to any desired extent by supplying a suitable system of levers.

In Fig. 4 there is a supplementary magnetic field in which the disk C revolves, which is established by an electro-magnetM. The coils of the magnet M are included in the circuit of any suitable source of current, such as a battery G, and a rheostat Rs is provided for varying the amount of current which can fiow in this circuit. The magnet M, supported upon a lever pivoted at P, controls the position of the arm which traverses the rheostat Rs, cutting out resistance from the circuit when the disk C increases in speed and interposing more resistance in the circuit when the disk decreases in speed, as will be plainly evident from an inspection of the figure,thus maintaininga uniform speed in the governed mechanism.

In Fig. 5 an arrangement similar to that of Fig. 4 is shown, with the exception that the rheostat Rs is not used and the full current The magnet M y from the source of current G is sent through the coils of the magnet M', when through increase of speed of the disk C the magnet M closes contact at K. The disk C will instantly be slowed up, then the Contact at K will be broken, and the action be repeated, with the result that the speed of the disk is maintained practically uniform and constant. Ahigh resistance R or its equivalent, shunting the contacts at K, should be employed in this con struction to prevent injurious sparking at the contacts, and a fine wire and high potential current may also be used, if desired. A spring S and nut N afford means for adjustment, whereby the disk may be allowed to attain any definite desired speed.

Figs. G, 7, S, and 9 show a different arrangement, but resembling in some respects the construction of Fig. l. In Fig. G the disk is shown as having different thicknesses at dil`- ferent distances from its axis, the outer portion E being quite thin and the central portion C being much heavier. The magnet M could be supported as in Fig. l, and would ordinarily act upon only the portion E of the disk; but upon an increase of speed occurring in the disk it would be pulled over the disk, so that the portion C would revolve in the magnetic field, as indicated in Fig. 7, and it is of course evident that this would very largely increase the retarding effect and decrease the speed of the disk and the apparatus geared or connected thereto. Vhen normal speed was again attained, the magnet M would return to its original position.

In Fig. 8 the disk C is shown as made with a progressively-increasing thickness toward its center. As before, any tendency to increase of speed would pull the magnet M into a more effective position of retardation; but the change would in this case be more gradnal than in the case of Fig. G.

Fig. 9 is simply a modification in. which the disk is given a serrated edge or has portions cut away from its periphery, whereby a larger amount of conducting metal or conductor is made to move in the magnetic field as the speed of the disk C increases.

In Fig. 10,1) may represent any prime source of power, such as a steam-engine. The valve admitting steam to the cylinder is operated by a lever L, at the end of which is a magnet M, whose poles surround the copper or other metal disk C, revolved by the engine through suitable gearing. Should the speed of the engine increase above the normal, the disk C will carry the magnet M in a position to shut the valve and slow the engine, and should the speed fall below the normal the valve would be opened again by suitable retractile devices eounteracting the effect of the disk. An adjustment S N may be used as before. This arrangement would be very sensitive and regulate closely, because the speed of the disk C could be made relatively very high and a very slight difference of speed in the engine suffice to move the lever L and operate the IOO IIO

valve V to its extreme open and closed positions.

The adjustment effected by a spring or weight or their equivalents could of course be used with any of the arrangements shown in the above drawings.

A combination of any of the arrangements I have shown may be made in cases where a large amount of power is required to move a valve or do similar work. The apparatus, Figs. 3 and 5, would be particularly effective for such purpose, the mechanical brake in the one case and the electrical grip in the other operating upon the auxiliary device to be moved when a regulation was needed.

I have not deemed it necessary in all of the above figures to show the connecting mechanism whose speed is to be regulated, as it will readily be understood that in each case the disk is supposed to be driven thereby.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. The method of maintaining a practically constant speed in a motor mechanism, consistin g in loading it with an electric generator and varying the effective magnetic field of said generator by changes in speed of its moving conductor.

2. The method of maintaining constancy of speed in a motor mechanism, which consists in controlling its movement by a brake or regulator, varying the relative position of the field-magnet and armature of an electric generator in correspondence with vspeed changes in said mechanism, and operating said brake or regulator by said electric generator upon the occurrence of a predetermined displacement of the field-magnet and armature of the latter.

3. The described manner of maintaining an approximately constant speed in a motor mechanism, consisting in loading it with an electric genearator, increasing the effective magnetic field of said generator by the increase of speed of its moving conductor, and decreasing the effective magnetic field of said generator by the decrease in speed of its moving conductor.

4. The combination, with a motor mechanism whose speed it is desired to maintain constant, of an electric generator geared thereto and means, substantially as described, for varying the effective magnetic field of said generator in correspondence with changes of torque between its field and armature.

5. The combination, with a mechanical movement, of a brake or regulator therefor, an electric generator for governing the action of said brake or regulator, and connecting devices, substantially as described, whereby the armature for said generator is driven by said movement or responds to speed changes therein and the field-magnet for said generator is moved by changes in speed of said armature and operates said brake or regulator.

6. In a speedregulator for mechanical movements, an electric generator the armature of which is driven by said movement or responds to speed changes therein and the field-magnet of which is adapted to approach or recede from said armature on the occurrence of a varying speed in the latter.

7. In a regulator for mechanical movements, an electric generator responsive to speed changes in said movement and a field-magnet and armature for said electric generator adapted to be automatically displaced with relation to each other upon the occurrence of a change of speed in said movement.

8. The combination, with a motor mechanism whose speed it is desired to maintain constant, of a regulator therefor, comprising an electric generator whose continually-moving portion is driven by said mechanism and the position of whose field-magnet with respect to said moving portion is dependent upon the speed of said moving portion.

9. In a regulator for motor mechanism, an electric generator whose revolving portion is propelled by said mechanism and Whose fieldmagnet is supported so as to be displaced by changes of speed of said revolving portion.

10. In a motor mechanism, a regulator therefor comprising a Foucault disk and a fieldmagnet in operative relation thereto and means for displacing the disk and field-magnet relatively by changes in speed of said mechanism.

1l. The method of maintaining constancy of speed in a motor mechanism, which consists in varying the action of a regulator therefor by an electric generator and changing the relative position of the field-magnet and armature of said electric generator in correspondence with changes of speed in said mechanism.

12. Thecombination, with a mechanical movement, of a regulator therefor, an electric generator for governing the action of said regulator, mechanism for propelling the armature of said generator in correspondence with the speed of said mechanical movement, and an operating device connecting said regulator and the movable field-magri et of said generator.

13. The combination, with a motor, of a regulator controlling its 'relation with a power source, an electric generator for governing the action of said regulator, mechanism by which said motor propels the armature of said electric generator, and a connecting device between said regulator and the movable fieldmagnet of said generator.

Signed at Lynn, county of Essex, and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, this 22d day of September, A. D. 1801.

JOHN XV. GIBBONEY.

Witnesses:

BENJAMIN B. HULL, WARREN B. LEWIS.

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